Process of producing pure saponin solutions.



Nrrnn dramas PATENT Grinch.

MAXIMILIAN CARL LUDVVIG ALTHAUSSE, OF BILLWARDER-AN-DER-BILLE, GERMANY,ASSIGNOR TO FABRIK OHEMISGHER PRAEPARATE VON DR. RICHARD STl-IAMER, OFHAMBURG, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PURE SAPONHN SOLUTIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,202, dated J u1y23,1901.

Application filed August 6, 1900. Serial No. 26,090. (No specimens.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, MAXIMILIAN CARL LUD- WIG- ALTHAUSSE, a subject of theGerman Emperor, and a resident of Billwarder-an-der- 5 Bille, nearHamburg, in the German Empire,

have invented a certain new and useful Process of Producing Pure SaponinSolutions, of which the following is a specification.

The saponin extracts which are obtained by extracting quillaya-bark withwater and used for cleaning textile fabrics possess all the same faultsthat they contain large quantities of coloring-matter and otherimpurities and are therefore unsuited for cleaning delir cate fabrics,particularly if the latter are colored by sensitive dyes. All attemptshitherto made with a view to remove said impurities failed because thechemicals used for such removal of impurities from the extracts ordecoctions made from the bark in question remained partially in theconcentrated extract, thus diminishing the real value of the same,whereas a complete chemical purification of the extracts is tooexpensive.

According to thepresent invention a simple and cheap method has beenfound by means of Whichapure extract of saponin is produced which isperfectly appropriated to all technical purposes and which results fromthe ad- 0 dition of small quantities of formaldehyde to the aqueousextracts having large quantities of coloring-matter.

If merely a few drops of formaldehyde solution are added to an aqueousextract of the bark and the latter is then boiled, it will be at onceseen that the greater part of the coloring and albuminic matterscontained in the extract are precipitated in the form of dense brownflakes. The filtrates, however, are 0 somewhat discolored and stillcontain an impurity in the shape of lime. The latter may v be easilyseparated by adding a suitable acid, as diluted sulfuric acid, to theextract until a slightly acid reaction takes place, or any othersuitable acid may be used that will form,

with lime, insoluble precipitates. If the extracts are now evaporated tothe consistency of a syrup and left standing for some time, the greaterpart of the sulfate of lime is precipit-atedin the form of perfectcrystals. The

sulfuric acid has the additional purpose of accelerating the filtrationof the extracts, which, without such addition, proceeds at anexcessively slow rate; but a far better result is attained if theformaldehyde and the sulfuric acid are not added to the aqueoussolutions after extraction but allowed to act on the same during theprocess of extraction from the bark. Aqueous solutions containing butvery little coloring-matter are then obtained. The sa- 6o ponin obtainedby evaporation is nearly white and quickly and clearly soluble in water.

The process is carried out in the following manner: One hundred andfifty kilograms of quillaya-bark, cut fine, are boiled in asuitablevessel with six hundred liters of water, to which are added five toseven kilograms of formalin (containing forty per cent. formaldehyde)and later on diluted sulfuric acid to produce a weak acid reaction, andafter the mixture has been thoroughly boiled a similar quantity ofwater, formalin, and acid are added. The extract thus obtained isfiltered from the bark and boiled in an enameled castiron boilerprovided with a steam-jacket until 7 5 it acquires a syrup-likeconsistency. It is then allowed to stand for about twelve hours. Theprecipitated sulfate of lime is then removed and the extract duringcontinuous stirring evaporated to dryness, preferably in t'acuo. Thesaponin thus obtained has when pulverized a slightly yellowish graytint, causes violent fits of sneezing when handled, and is clearlysoluble in water, the aqueous solution producing a thick white foam,which keeps for quite a long period.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The process of producing a pure saponin solution which consists inreacting upon a suitably-heated solution of saponin with a solution offormaldehyde and removing the resultant precipitate, substantially asand for the purpose described. 5

2. The process of producing a pure saponin solution which consists inreacting upon a suitably-heated solution of saponin with a solution offormaldehyde and with an acid capable of forming an insolubleprecipitatewith the lime in the solution and removing the resultant precipitates,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The process of producing a pure saponin 5 solution which consists indecocting quillayabark by boiling in Water and reacting-upon the boilingsolution with formalin and an acid capable of forming an insoluble saltwith the lime in the solution and removing the resultant precipitatesfrom the bark by filtration, 10 substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

MAXIMILIAN CARL LUDWIG ALTHAUSSE.

Witnesses:

MAX LEMCKE, E. H. L. MUMMENHOFF.

